The first critical article I read was this one, which pointed out a number of flaws in the video, such as its emphasis on Uganda when Kony has, for the most part, moved into other countries on Uganda's borders. The article also called the video overly simplistic, contending that raising awareness without providing a deeper understanding of the complex situation in central Africa was counterproductive.
The Foreign Policy article led me to this post, which raised additional questions about the Kony 2012 campaign, questioning its ability to motivate action beyond online sharing of the video and criticizing the paternalistic implications of the video's focus on the need for Americans to solve the problems of Africa.
Invisible Children and its supporters have pushed back against these criticisms, arguing that raising awareness is a prerequisite to productive action of any kind, and that raising awareness will necessarily involve a certain degree of simplification. The Q&A page on the Invisible Children site articulates some of these arguments, and presents a more nuanced account of the LRA's past and current activities and its own efforts to help. While I think this clarification helps Invisible Children's case, I'm still not convinced they've adequately answered some questions - such as their ability to translate Internet enthusiasm into real action. For me, these questions will play a major role in whether the organization can make a positive difference.
